In EP 21 483 it is disclosed that flavor enhancing materials in the form of ionic salts, such as sodium chloride can be incorporated in liquefiable fats if they are first micronised to a particle size of 1-10 microns. In that instance compositions can be obtained, which are stable for more than 2 hours. Incorporation of a hardstock fat can increase the stability to about 6 months. Examples of hardstock fats mentioned are fully hydrogenated normally solid fatty triglycerides with an IV &lt;15. These hardstocks can contain fatty acid residues with 12-22 C-atoms. Examples of hardened oils are given on p.8, 1.3-8, however this listing does not include hardened rape seed oils. Although the disclosure of this document is very generic in the definition of the flavor enhancing component, it is also clear from this document that the only flavor enhancing components, that were actually considered, are ionic salts. Therefore this document does not provide directions how to come to pourable fat compositions with very high contents of herbs and/or spices, that would be stable for long periods of time (=having long closed shelf life).
From WO 94/08470 salad dressings are known, wherein the fat phase can contain a hardened rapeseed oil component. The dressing further can contain up to 4 wt % of a herb or spices. As this reference relates to water-containing dressings, this document does not provide a solution for system wherein no waterphase is present and that contain high amounts of herbs and/or spices.
In our co-pending European patent application 96202913.8 we disclosed a fat-composition that fulfils all above requirements. So accordingly above EP patent application concerns a pourable fat-composition, that is ambient-stable, and wherein the fat-composition comprises:
10-45 wt % of herbs, spices, nuts and/or seeds PA1 0-20 wt % of cheese particles PA1 1-10 wt % of an edible salt PA1 50-89 wt % of a fat blend, comprising: PA1 0-45 wt % of herbs, spices, nuts and/or seeds PA1 5-60 wt % of a thickener, in particular selected from natural or modified starches, natural or modified gum PA1 0-10 wt % of milk proteins PA1 0-10 wt % of egg yolk powder PA1 0-5 wt % of emulsifier PA1 0-35 wt % of meat-extract or gravy flavour PA1 1-10 wt % of an edible salt PA1 30-89 wt % of a fat blend, comprising: PA1 (i) thickener is mixed with part of the liquid oil, which optionally is preheated PA1 (ii) the mix, resulting of (i) is optionally heated at 70-85.degree. C. for 2-10 min. PA1 (iii) the mix, resulting from (i) or the heated mix, resulting from (ii) is cooled to a temperature of maximum 25.degree. C. PA1 (iv) the rest of the liquid oil is mixed with the hard-fat component at a temperature below 30.degree. C. PA1 (v) the products from (iii) and (iv) are mixed under the addition of the remaining components resulting in the product.
(i) 90-99.8 wt % of liquid oil PA2 (ii) 10-0.2 wt % of a hard fat component, that has the ability to form a crystal network in the endproduct, preferably being hardened high erucic rapeseed oil, while the total-composition is flavoured by the presence of 0.5-5 wt % on total composition of flavour-ingredients. PA2 (i) 90-99.8 wt % of liquid oil PA2 (ii) 10-0.2 wt % of a hard fat component, that has the ability to form a crystal network in the endproduct, preferably being hardened high erucic rapeseed oil,
Above compositions are substantially free of trans fatty acids. In fact the amounts of trans acids are less than 5 wt %, preferably less than 0.5 wt %. (Calculated on total fatty acid content.)
Although above compositions can be applied successfully in many application these compositions are unsuitable for application in products like Ready-to-use Roux; Ready-to-use brown or white sauces or Ready-to-use Sauce Hollandaise, optionally obtainable by adding an aqueous liquid and applying heat. In order to make them suitable for those applications it was found that a thickener should be incorporated in the compositions according to EP 96202913, while the amount of spices, herbs, nut and/or seeds could be lowered or could even be absent.